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 Lana
Head Banana
Registered: 10/27/99
Posts: 2,578
Loc: www.MycoSupply.com
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 open source platform for a self replicating machine
#8352809 - 05/02/08 07:25 AM (6 months, 19 days ago) |
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I was asked to post this by a member, enjoy!
Lana
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This is a link I thought may be good for the science and tech forum if you care to post it.
It's an open source platform for a self replicating machine, it's free and you can build the machine for about $800 according to them, but I think it'd be less. You can make a bunch of plastic pieces, gears, and tools. They even made edible organic plastic with milk and vinegar,haha. They're working on different materials, like one that makes metal pieces would be even better. But it's pretty interesting regardless
http://www.reprap.org/
Quote:
Look at your computer setup and imagine that you hooked up a 3D printer. Instead of printing on bits of paper this 3D printer makes real, robust, mechanical parts. To give you an idea of how robust, think Lego bricks and you're in the right area. You could make lots of useful stuff, but interestingly you could also make most of the parts to make another 3D printer. That would be a machine that could copy itself.
RepRap is short for Replicating Rapid-prototyper. It is the practical self-copying 3D printer shown on the right - a self-replicating machine. This 3D printer builds the component up in layers of plastic. This technology already exists, but the cheapest commercial machine would cost you about €30,000. And it isn't even designed so that it can make itself. So what the RepRap team are doing is to develop and to give away the designs for a much cheaper machine with the novel capability of being able to self-copy (material costs are about €400). That way it's accessible to small communities in the developing world as well as individuals in the developed world. Following the principles of the Free Software Movement we are distributing the RepRap machine at no cost to everyone under the GNU General Public Licence. So, if you have a RepRap machine, you can make another and give it to a friend...
The RepRap project became widely known after a large press coverage in March 2005, though the idea goes back to a paper on the web written by Adrian Bowyer on 2 February 2004.
We hope to announce self-replication this year - 2008 - though the machine that will do it - RepRap Version 1.0 "Darwin" - can be built now - see the Make RepRap Darwin link there or on the left
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 Baby_Hitler
Anarcho-Technologist
Registered: 03/06/02
Posts: 18,693
Loc: To the limit!
Last seen: 10 hours, 21 minutes
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Re: open source platform for a self replicating machine [Re: Lana]
#8412377 - 05/17/08 10:21 AM (6 months, 3 days ago) |
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Very interesting article, Lana. Thanks for posting it.
I think they could add an oxyhydrogen cutting torch which could be used to cut sheets of silicon steel, which could then be used to make a good portion of the servo motors for the machine.
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